Legends of Gravity Falls: Blood Runs Thick
by MandoCommander
Summary: Sequel to Shadow in the Forest. The final hour is at hand as the one-eyed demon and his devoted cultists stand poised to open the gateway between Earth and the Nightmare Realm. With the Pines family divided and the world on the edge of oblivion, the stakes have never been higher. The apocalypse is now. Please leave reviews. Some bits of Dipifica. Complete.
1. Chapter 1: The Return to Damnation

Legends of Gravity Falls: Blood Runs Thick

Chapter 1: The Return to Damnation

 **A/N: As this is the sequel for the first story, I recommend reading that first. Spoiler Alert for those who choose to start here.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Gravity Falls**

 _"In war, truth is the first casualty"_

 _As the sun sets on this mortal world, I cannot help but wonder if there was any other way? I'd taken every avenue available, hadn't I? Exhausted every last opportunity to make things right, slaved for hours on end to correct their mistakes. It was all for naught and I was left the fool. No matter I suppose, here and now. The tables have finally turned. Only at the end as the Earth dies around me do I think, perhaps at last they understand. It was their folly that led to this point. Their words and actions all left us here at the edge of oblivion. I'm simply the harbinger. I'm simply the instrument, in service to the architect. An architect by the name of Bill Cipher, he who will deliver me and the world from this state of madness into a darkness we both can bear, perhaps._

At the hidden underground temple, the Midnight Hammer was continuing final preparations for the ritual to summon a permanent portal between the Earth and the Nightmare Realm, just as Bill intended. Stan, Mabel, Wendy, Soos, Ford, McGucket, and Pacifica were all still chained to the metal posts driven down into each blood rune painted on the floor, just before the blood painting of the Cipher Wheel on the wall. Only two things remained for the ritual to begin, the final sacrifice, Dipper, and the dimensional rift he carried with him. At that moment, the cultists turned to face the stairway that led to the world above, hearing a pair of footsteps coming down. In the dark cathedral beyond the main chamber, the Grand Harvester and Prime Councilman both turned their attention to the entryway despite still being in the Mindscape with Bill.

"He has returned… with the boy and the rift…" The Grand Harvester spoke first, his voice dripping with anticipation.

"At last we can end this" – Preston added, solemn and eager at the same time.

"I sense all of it. The power, the despair, the hate, its delicious!" Bill exclaimed with his sinister delight.

And sure enough outside the dark cathedral at the edge of the stairwell leading up from the main chamber, the Grand Master of Midnight arrived with Dipper Pines in tow, clapped in chains and led by his left hand. He also had the rift in his right hand. The cultists got in rows of two flanking him as he approached the dark cathedral, kneeling in reverence to his power and authority, second only to Bill. Upon entering the large room, both boy and cult leader were pulled into the Mindscape to join the three awaiting their arrival. Bill spoke first as he rubbed his hands together in contemplation, his eye squinting in dark glee.

"And so the final pieces fall into place. I cannot express how pleased I am to see both of you here, though you for a substantially less good reason, for you anyway, Pine Tree. Hahahahahahahaha!"

"This isn't over, yet, Bill" Dipper replied, captured but still defiant.

"You're right, but that will be corrected in about five minutes. Hahahahahaha!" Bill remained in his celebratory mood. The Grand Master bowed in respect to the demon.

"Great Lord of Mind and Eye, it is my utmost pleasure to serve as always. If it be your will, I shall chain this child up with the other sacrifices personally."

"Yes, yes, get to it immediately. The moment is almost upon us, the portal within reach!" Bill exclaimed in eagerness. And so the Grand Master of Midnight led the boy back out into the physical realm and to the rest of his unfortunate friends and family, but not before he handed Bill the rift, while he and the others grinned, save Dipper who kept his head lowered in shame. The other sacrifices were shocked to see Dipper captured and defeated. Mabel spoke first.

"Brother, no! Where's the rift?!" The Grand Master gave another sinister grin under the shadow of his hood at the evident despair from all of them.

"The rift is safely in the hands of my master, and now with this boy here along with it we are ready for the end." Ford shot back fiercely.

"You can open the portal, but you will never force humankind to submit to Bill and his friends! This is not their world!"

"Soon to be corrected, my old friend." Was all the Grand Master said in reply as he chained Dipper to the last metal post.

"We've never met before, and I'd certainly never be friends with someone so loyal to Bill! Someone who hurts my family!" Ford was incensed at the remark.

"You don't know the first thing about family, Ford. Neither you nor Stan. That is why we are here." Now Stan began firing back.

"What gives you the right to talk crap about us, you maniac?!" The Grand Master finished chaining Dipper to the post and rose, pulling back his hood.

"This gives me the right. Is this what it takes for you two to recognize me?" Everyone else sans Dipper gasped with wide eyes. The man had a striking resemblance to both Stan and Ford, same nose, facial structure, brown hair, but his eyes were fiery orange, twisted from decades of demonic magic. Stan spoke first once he gathered his thoughts, somewhat.

"Is this for real… Shermie… is that you?"

"I'm afraid I'm not the baby brother you two left behind anymore, but yes, I am Sherman Pines."

"Sherman… why? What… happened to you?" Ford asked, equally distraught as his twin.

"Seriously, how many brothers are you hiding from us, Mr. Pines?" Wendy asked Stan in a half-sarcastic tone.

"Ignore her, tell us what this is about, Sherman!" Stan was eager to hear what was going on with his little brother.

"You want to know what this is about? What happened to me? This is about you, my dear older brothers. You happened to me." The Grand Master replied without expression.

"What is that supposed to mean? What are you saying?" Ford demanded.

"Talk to us right now! Why are you doing this?" Stan was equally fervent.

"Still only thinking about yourselves. Our family could have stood together for the end, to reap the rewards of being in his service, and champions of his will. That honor is no longer yours, however. You two may be old men now, but you're still selfish cowards. Enough words, they mean nothing for people who are about to die. Prepare for oblivion, my master approaches." The others, Dipper included, looked up as the entire chamber was pulled into the Mindscape.

Out in the town at large, the last of the townspeople were being rounded up and imprisoned for the approaching apocalypse. Two Disciples spotted one man they hadn't subdued yet as he stopped out of his house, awakened by all the commotion.

"What is all this racket in the middle of the night?" Toby Determined asked, having emerged from his home in his night robe and slippers. The two cultists immediately scrambled to capture him.

"Gaah! Aberration! It's an aberration from an alternate dimension who's not on our side!" The first one was horrified at the sight.

"Quickly! Seize him!" The second one clamored. Toby shouted incoherently as both piled on him and hurriedly clapped him in chains. The two of them though realized their partial error once they got a closer look at him.

"Oh, he's not an aberration, at least not from another dimension." The first one spoke as he locked the cuffs keeping the man's arms behind his back.

"Yes, this is just a very ugly unbeliever. All right, you're coming with us. We're locking you up with the rest of the town." The second one informed the new captive in a stern tone.

"Hooray! Finally people will have to tolerate my presence!" Toby was actually grateful at the prospect of imprisonment with others.

 _"Prepare yourselves, unbelievers across the land, for the final hour is close at hand. Fire will consume, you have tried and failed. When all is said and done, He will have prevailed!"_

 **A/N: I would sincerely appreciate more reviews. I value all feedback, I wish to know your thoughts as I put more and more effort as these stories progress.**


	2. Chapter 2: Gateway to Nightmares

Legends of Gravity Falls: Blood Runs Thick

Chapter 2: Gateway to Nightmares

And all at once in the main chamber of the underground temple, Bill Cipher appeared to all his chosen sacrifices at last. The demon cackled in utmost sinister delight at the display presented before him by his servants; the main human lives he chose to serve as fuel for his plans all set to be siphoned at his will.

"Finally, we can all properly be introduced. First thing's first, for those of us not familiar with the other: hello, name's Bill Cipher. And now you are all my unwitting pawns to fulfill plans one billion years in the making. I'd say I won't make you suffer in gratitude for your contributions, but that would be a lie! Hahahaha! Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"

"You're deluding yourself, Bill! You may open the gateway to your dimension, but our world will never submit to you willingly! We won't surrender to you!" Ford was adamant in his declaration of human resolve.

"Oh, that's what I'm counting on, Sixer. Surrender is so boring after all." Bill retorted, hinting the true scope of his malice. The Grand Master stepped forth.

"The time is upon us, bring forth the dagger and remove what we need from these unbelievers." The individuals on the floor felt their eyes widen at the words. A Disciple came forth carrying an ornate case, which when opened revealed a jewel-encrusted dagger freshly cleaned for continued use. Preston then took it in his right hand, being the cultist selected for the actual deeds, one by one. His face was emotionless as he moved to the unfortunate sacrifices, but the Grand Harvester who looked on as an observer licked his lips in anticipation of seeing blood spill. The Grand Master echoed Preston's expression, no signs of glee nor remorse. Stan spoke up.

"I always knew you were crooked, Northwest, but this trumps anything else you elitist snobs have ever done!"

"Father, don't do this! It's not too late!" Pacifica pleaded to her parent to no avail.

"Our ancestor knew the risks, Pacifica, as did I. Nothing can change this now."

"It doesn't have to be this way!" Mabel cried.

"You are one sick butthole to do this to your own daughter, you know?!" Wendy snapped.

"Come on dude, you can stop right now!" Soos added.

"Aw, shoot! You no good son of the rear end of a donkey!" McGucket gave his censored hillbilly swearing at Preston.

"Enough! I'm the first one Bill chose for this group, let me go first instead!" Ford offered, and everyone turned their eyes on him at his words. Dipper finally weighed in.

"No, I'm the one who failed to escape and keep the rift safe. I deserve to go first." The others were even more shocked at his words.

"Are you insane, kid?! I'd sooner die first!" Stan shouted.

"Dipper, no!" Mabel felt tears form in the corners of her eyes. The sacrifices pleaded and shouted to no avail. Preston moved over to Dipper and quickly plunged the dagger into him, only to reel back in complete shock at what resulted. There was no blood. A simple hole through an empty chest marred the boy at his feet, and it had ripped open with the sound of punctured paper. Ford gave a knowing grin at the turn of events as the clone looked up at his captors with a confident grin.

"The original Dipper sends his regards, but I'm afraid you won't get any blood from me." Preston merely kept his eyes wide and mouth agape in horror, while Bill clenched his fists and began trembling as his eye turned blood red again, his rage taking over.

"YOU DAMN FOOLS BROUGHT ME A FAKE SACRIFICE?! THIS WILL NEVER STAND! NO ONE MAY ESCAPE MY WRATH!" The Grand Master quickly turned to face his enraged master.

"Great Lord of Mind and Eye, this is merely another temporary setback! The boy couldn't have possibly gotten far! We have the rift, and that is enough at this point to open the gateway, right?"

"ENOUGH! I WILL DEAL WITH YOUR FAILURE LATER, FOR I CAN WAIT NO LONGER! ONE BILLION YEARS HAVE ALREADY PASSED! THE TIME IS NOW!" Expanding in size, Bill turned fully red and soared upward, crashing through the ceiling and ground beneath the clifftop and up into the sky on the surface. Summoning his supernatural might, he hurled the rift to the ground, shattering the protective casing and unleashing the energy into the sky above, tearing open an inter-dimensional portal to the Nightmare Realm. As the night sky turned blood red along with the moon and the howling wind picked up into a torrent, the demon roared in triumph, "IT IS DONE!TREMBLE, HUMAN WEAKLINGS! THE WORLD IS MINE! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Black silhouettes with dark red eyes appeared in the gateway, some with one, two, three, and four, their sinister voices joining Bill's. Whispers soon turned into mutual laughing as they neared the gateway, ready to join their cohort on Earth. Back down in the temple below, all the cultists were on their knees, most fully kneeled down on their hands too, and the three members of the leadership, the Grand Master, the Grand Harvester, and the Grand Councilman, Preston, all upright with their hands and heads raised to the sky in reverence. The Grand Master recited another chant.

"His will be done, Great Lord of Mind and Eye. No unbeliever is safe, no matter where they run. His power, so infinite and vast. This is the end, the hour of the last. At his command reality itself has been sheered! Nothing can possibly resist what is to be revered and feared!"

"You crazies forget about us?" Stan asked in a half-sarcastic manner. The Grand Harvester addressed his mock question with a grin.

"Do not worry, the gateway can be opened with the rift alone, but we still need your blood to make sure it stays at full power. We aren't finished with you yet…" At this moment Bill returned to the temple to address his devotees.

"The gateway is opened, but without the needed level of sacrifice I still can only maintain my form outside my dimension in the Mindscape. I hope you have a plan to fix this error you created. The remaking can only begin when I enter the physical world!" Most of the cultists remained on their knees or hands and knees in reference, though the Grand Master rose and stepped forth to face his superior.

"Great Lord of Mind and Eye, we have just the solution, but I need you to come with me. I will unveil our gift to you personally"

"Very well, but you better make this good. I'd hate to have to destroy the last Pines brother in service to me. Sixer and Pine Tree lost their appeal when they tried to play hero." Bill stated as reciting a fact.

"You will not be disappointed, my lord. Come, and see your personal bridge to the physical world, your ticket to inter-dimensional supremacy." The Grand Master departed with Bill, leaving his lieutenants to carry on the dark ritual. The Grand Harvester quickly assumed command and relayed orders to Preston.

"Time to finish what we started. Finish them off and do it quickly, I tire of these unbelievers and their constant refusal to submit."

"Yes, of course, right away then" Preston replied.

"Father!" Pacifica cried out. The others watched with wide eyes as the corrupted man of affluence approached.

A few floors below the main chamber, in a hidden laboratory, the Grand Master used a control panel to deactivate a cryostasis chamber matching the kind found in the underground bunker, revealing the occupant to Bill who floated at his side. A custom genetically engineered human form, fully clad in a black and yellow suit and top hat with a black eyepatch, for Bill to possess. It had Caucasian skin and black hair.

"Wow, I'm impressed. My own personalized meat puppet!" Bill exclaimed as he rubbed his hands together.

"And all you need to access the physical world, my master. This body was engineered specifically to embody the best physical attributes of the human species, and has a number of artificial enhancements to render you immune to some of the pesky tricks our enemies use, such as the mind eraser gun." The Grand Master explained. Bill immediately took possession of the body, the right eyelid opened to reveal the telltale glowing yellow one with a pitch black pupil. The mouth opened into a cackle, Bill's voice. Fully in control of his new gift, Bill walked out of the stasis tube and Sherman Pines promptly presented him with a black cane, which he accepted with a tip of his hat. The two men then exited the laboratory to return to the upper levels, both baring twisted grins as they pondered what was to come.


	3. Chapter 3: Guardians of the Grave

Legends of Gravity Falls: Blood Runs Thick

Chapter 3: Guardians of the Grave

As the Prime Councilman of the Chosen, Preston Northwest, approached the sacrifices with dagger in hand, a Disciple came running in through the entrance to the stairway up to the surface, and shouted in shock and confusion in warning.

"Brothers, sisters, superiors! We are under attack! The unbelievers brought back up!"

"Enough of this! Kill the sacrifices now, Northwest! Councilors, send all available devotees into battle!" The Grand Harvester bellowed in immediate decree, his impatience reaching the breaking point.

"Yes sir, right away!" The cultists of the Council of the Chosen replied in unison, "Serve the will of the Great One! Destroy those who defy his will!" They added in unison as well, orders for the rest of the cultists present. A voice familiar to the Pines family, Wendy, and Soos called out from up in the giant hole Bill created in the ceiling. It was familiar, but warped.

"Vou vill not vin zhis day!"

The cultists looked up and saw Walter Starnhorst had returned, in his Shadow Form, and had brought the rest of his ghostly guards possessing the knight armor as well as a horde of Native American and Pioneer ghosts, staring down right back at them from the world above.

"Attack, my vriends! Let us end zhis mad threat to our vorld!" Walter ordered.

"In the memory of our ancestors and our sacred land! These defilers will answer to our wrath!" The ghost of the native chieftain declared.

"For friends and family all 'round! Get 'em, boys!" A ghost of a Pioneer frontiersman added in command of his fellows.

"Spirits! We can't fight what we cannot strike! Orders, sir?!" Another Disciple turned to the Grand Harvester and asked in immediate panic.

"I don't care if you need to give your lives for this battle! Serve his will until death and beyond! Hold them off and kill the sacrifices, all of you!" The Grand Harvester commanded as he raised his scythe as the ghostly assailants charged down the hole, Walter in front.

The cultists drew their swords and guns, most of them quickly trying to mount a defense while the ones closest to the sacrifices took aim with their rifles and pistols, but before they could get off a shot, the ghosts were upon them, relentlessly attacking them, knocking and throwing them about every which way. One pioneer ghost dragged Preston away, who had attempted a foolhardy escape. The cultists were quickly becoming overwhelmed, unable to defend themselves against ghosts, enemies they had no chance of effectively attacking. In the chaos, Dipper, the real boy, arrived via the stairs and hurried over to his friends and family.

"Aw man, great to see you, dude!" Soos greeted his younger friend with relief.

"Dipper! You're okay!" Mabel added in an equally relieved tone.

"Should've figured you'd have something up your sleeve." Wendy said with a smile.

"Yeah, totally" The blonde Northwest girl agreed with a similar expression.

"All part of the plan I made with Walter. Let's find a way to free you guys." The boy replied.

"Excellent! Well done, Dipper, I don't think I could have done better myself." Ford commended his young great nephew.

"He totally conned these crazy nutjobs, he learned that much from me!" Stan patted himself on the back, figuratively as he was still in chains.

"Went off just as we wanted it to." Clone Dipper added with his own smile.

The only cultist able to hold his own as the fighting continued around them was the Grand Harvester, whose dark mystical powers and scythe granted him ample fighting abilities against spirits. His eyes were glowing light green again as was his scythe. With a sinister chuckle and matching grin he cleaved and hacked his scythe through the ghosts, severing them in two and consuming their essence, adding them to his collection of souls, a harvest that was nothing new to him. Walter moved to face him while ghosts freed the sacrifices, Clone Dipper, Stan, Ford, Mabel, Wendy, Soos, McGucket, and Pacifica. The ancient vampire, still in Shadow Form, locked blades with the Grand Harvester, who merely gave a demented chuckle at the chaos around them, and the sight of the sacrifices fleeing to the stairway.

"It's a stalling measure, at best. Once the Great One and the Grand Master return, you are all finished. They are on their way back right now."

"Ve vill never stop fighteing. Zhis vorld iz not for your master to control" Walter replied calmly, as if stating a fact.

"It is now, foolish unbeliever, as you soon shall see."

The vile cultist slammed his foot on the ground to force a fallen sword up into his left hand, and before Walter could move to stop him, he hurled it past the vampire and right at the escapees. The spinning blade cut right through Dipper, the real one, who cried out in pain as he fell onto the stairs.

"Dipper!" The rest of the group called out, and ran to his side. Soos lifted the wounded boy up and the group resumed fleeing to safety, albeit leaving a pool of the kid's blood behind, exactly as the Grand Harvester intended.

"Zhat vas a mistake." Walter said coldly as he resumed his standoff with the cultist.

"No... it was exactly what we needed, nothing can stop us. Shall we get this over with?" The Grand Harvester gripped his weapon with both hands, his wicked grin never leaving. Walter solemnly did the same, and the two enemies began their duel, slashing, hacking and clashing their blades back and forth. The two appeared evenly matched. After a few minutes of intense melee, only the ghosts remained around them, the remaining cultists either gone, too badly wounded, or unconscious. At that moment, a terrible darkness came over the central chamber. From the lower levels of the temple, Bill Cipher and the Grand Master had returned. The Grand Harvester cackled again as he and Walter kept fighting, the former knowing full well this turn of events was exactly as planned. Bill merely grinned as his eyes glowed in blue fire.

"Looks like I have the perfect opportunity to test out my new form. Pursue the rabble and do as you will, I will be along shortly." The demented demon told his mortal confidant.

"At once, my lord." The Grand Master replied. Sherman Pines spread his dreaded bat-like demonic wings and took to the sky, flying straight up and out of the giant hole as he drew both of his swords. Bill began charging up blue fire in both his hands as he began to levitate above the ground.


	4. Chapter 4: Fury of Nightmares

Legends of Gravity Falls: Blood Runs Thick

Chapter 4: Fury of Nightmares

With a flick of both his wrists, Bill incinerated all the ghosts present in the main chamber in blue fire within a second, leaving no trace of their former existence. All the wounded and unconscious cultists began to regain their senses, and now Walter Starnhorst was all alone, still facing off against the Grand Harvester. Observing the two as they continued their battle, Bill merely smirked in knowing certainty. His sinister chuckle interrupted them both, and they stopped for a moment to face the demon.

"As long as you maintain your Shadow Form, you cannot be fully destroyed, but you and I both know that the immortality you possess with it is temporary." Bill laughed, anticipating the final death of the vampire.

"Yes, I cannot maintain zhis form forever, but I vill keep fighting until zhere iz nothing left to fight for!" Walter replied, his stalwart ambition not shaken in the least.

"You're constant refusal to break is so very irritating, you know that? What's the point of having enemies if you can't torment them?" The Grand Harvester griped at the ancient being he had been fighting, his amusement long gone.

"The suffering of his mortal human friends will cut deep enough, I am sure of that." Bill licked his lips as the savored the thought.

"Humans are stronger than you think, demon. If you aren't mindful, you're arrogance will be your downfall." Starnhorst warned Bill, and the former gave a knowing smile as he saw Bill's eye twitch in anger, clearly the result of a button having been pushed. The eye turned crimson red and its owner roared in absolute rage.

"YOU DARE THINK YOU CAN LECTURE ME ABOUT THE MIND?! I AM THE MASTER OF NIGHTMARES, HERE! I WILL FEAST ON YOUR ASHES, YOU HUMAN-LOVING SIMPLETON!" Thrusting his right hand forward, Bill instantly summoned a roaring blue inferno that engulfed the spot where the vampire had been standing, barely missing the Grand Harvester. Said vampire had no difficulty dodging the blast, teleporting directly to Bill and locking his sword with the demon's metal cane. "He is mine to deal with now, rally the cult and take back what is ours!" Bill ordered the Grand Harvester and the other cultists.

"Right away, my lord, Great Lord of Mind and Eye! Your will is our own!" The Grand Harvester replied immediately, he and the rest of the remaining cultists inside the temple hurrying to get back to their loyal service. Outside in the sky over the town, the Grand Master released twin beams of flame from both his swords, incinerating the ghosts below who had nearly succeeded in liberating Gravity Falls from the cultists. The inferno in his eyes and on his blades which illuminated his demonic wings protruding from his back were a terrifying sight to behold.

"Let this be a lesson to all who think themselves above our power! None resist his will and survive! Remember your place, unbelievers, for every act of defiance only earns you and your world more misery and suffering!" Quickly shifting his focus the approaching hum of military helicopters, the leader of the cultists quickly fired out twin arcs of fire from his blades, the gigantic lines of flame too great for the choppers to effectively dodge. They fired missiles in retaliation, just before being destroyed as the massive arcs collided with them, causing some to explode in midair while others where sent hurling into the ground as blazing, scorching wrecks. The cultists quickly took back full control of the town and the captive townspeople.

Back inside the temple, the Grand Harvester had collected the spilled blood he cut out of Dipper into a vial, and made his way down into the furthest depths beneath the upper floors, arriving into a dimly-lit room filled with sacrificial altars, all caked in dried blood and the shattered fragments of bones broken atop each. Skulls aligned along the perimeter were painted in runic symbols with blood as well, and a single ritual circle painted in order of the Cipher Wheel adorned the floor in the center of the room, with a single alteration to the design, a symbol of a human skull wrapped in chains took the center spot of the Wheel, which normally held the symbol for Bill. Carefully removing the cork that sealed the vial, the Grand Harvester grinned in sadistic delight as he slowly turned the vial over just enough to spill a single drop on the Wheel, which immediately seemed to rejuvenate all the painted blood on the entire design, causing it to spread and thicken, making it bigger and stronger. Capping the vial and placing it inside his robes, he picked up a silver goblet left for him on the floor, filled to nearly the brim in demon blood. Drinking the substance down without hesitation, his grin returned and widened once he was done and tossed the cup aside. Drawing his scythe into his right hand, the master cultist heaved his weapon back and slammed it into the floor, dead center of the Wheel inside the painted skull. His eyes glowed green as his grin never left his face.

The Cipher Wheel glowed green as well, as did the scythe, illuminating the entire room in its unholy glow. Outside in and around Gravity Falls, cracks in the ground split open with the same green light emanating from them all, and monstrous, decrepit zombies shrieked and groaned as they crawled out and onto the surface, their eyes and mouths glowing green as well, signifying their unholy reanimation and the fact that they were under the control of the cult. Soon the number of zombies rising to serve easily outnumbered everyone in the town, adding their numbers to the cultists. In the main chamber, Bill left Walter to fend off encroaching zombies as he too took flight to join his lieutenant in the skies over the town.

In another dimly-lit room inside the temple, the walls draped in the banners of Bill looking over the burning world with human worshippers kneeling to him, the cultists of the Council of the Chosen including Preston all met around a in a circle over another blood painting of the Cipher Wheel on the floor, this one featuring a pair of eyes under a hood in the center instead of the symbol for Bill. Kneeling down together, the cultists drew their blades and plunged them into the ground inside the circle, and drank from matching goblets as the one used by the Grand Harvester. They recited a chant as their eyes began to glow purple.

"The time is now, the time is nigh, the unbelievers and their world shall wither and die! Try as they will, try as they might, their graves await as they fall from his sight! Only we the faithful shall live to see, the reign of the Great One as is meant to be!"

Up over the town, Bill spread his arms out as the blue fire returned to his hands, and he tore the dimensional portal out even more, spreading and widening it until it completely blocked out the sky, leaving only the Nightmare Realm above the Earth, nothing but crimson red and dark shadow taking the place of the clouds, moon, and stars. Blazing fireballs in the shape of meteors rained through the massive rift, falling down to the surface of the human world, leaving blazing and burning craters behind after impact, setting the forest on fire and destroying any building in the town they hit. The banner of the cult, the Midnight Hammer, was draped over the second floor windows of Town Hall. Bill celebrated his victory.

"THE WORLD IS FINALLY MINE! ALL MINE, FOREVER! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"


	5. Chapter 5: Who You Are

Legends of Gravity Falls: Blood Runs Thick

Chapter 5: Who You Are

As the town fell into ruin and the forest burned around it, the cultists celebrated in twisted jubilance while the terrified townspeople were helplessly held captive to serve witness to the apocalypse. And through it all, the one constant was Bill's maniacal laughter which echoed clear as day from the sky above.

Taking charge as the group had fled, Ford, had led them down into the old bunker, having suspected the Mystery Shack would be the first place the cult would search. He was treating the nasty wound Dipper had sustained, courtesy of the Grand Harvester. The boy lay splayed on the table in the main room by the entry stairs, as everyone anxiously waited around him.

"That was incredible, what you did back there. I'm not even sure I could have pulled that off." Ford told Dipper as he applied medical bandages to the boy's midsection.

"I'm more concerned about Walter. We left him and his group alone down there." Dipper admitted as he winced, the treatment not without its discomfort.

"I'm sure he'll be fine. Vampires have far greater resilience than humans." Once the bandaging was done, Dipper found himself immediate engulfed in the arms of his sister.

"Dipper, I can't believe you did that! I was so worried what would happen if I lost you… we all were…" Mabel started and trailed off.

"We definitely were." Wendy agreed.

"That was the bravest thing I've ever seen." Pacifica smiled at him.

"You're the man, kid!" Stan congratulated as he walked over and rubbed the boy's head, and Soos nodded in agreement with a smile, as did McGucket.

"Proud to have taken part in your plan, Original Dipper" The clone chimed in.

"Thanks guys, but we only managed to escape. This isn't over and we have no solution left now that the Bill got what he was after. I'm just one kid." Dipper relented as he obtained a look of desperation.

"Dude, it's not over yet." Wendy was the first to rebuke such a notion.

"We'll think of something, Dipper. Nothing is certain until it's done with." Ford agreed. Soos joined in Mabel's hug with the young boy.

"Yeah dude, you're more capable than you think" The handyman supported with a smile.

"You saved me from Gideon and his robot all on your own. You and the rest of us can certainly find a way to save the town." Mabel told her brother sincerely.

"We haven't come this far to throw in the towel now. When the going gets tough, fight back, remember?" Stan reminded his great nephew.

"I've seen you face down ghosts and bring up people when they're down. You are exactly what this town needs right now, Dipper" The blonde Northwest girl told him as she kept her smile.

"Nobody is perfect, Dipper, but who you are is good enough. You are exactly the kind of person you need to be." Ford reassured the boy while placing a hand on his shoulder.

Dipper smiled up at everyone. They were right. He couldn't give up now, not with the stakes so high. Nothing is impossible. He understood that he learned that much from this whole summer in this great, weird town. He looked back to Ford and spoke up.

"Great Uncle Ford, you know Bill better than any of us. Do you think there is any way left to defeat him?"

"Bill may be immortal, but he's not invincible, I'm certain of it. There has to be a weakness of his we can exploit, and when we take him down, it should be enough to undo all his damage and force him back to his dimension."

"If there's one thing that's clear about him, it's that he underestimates humans. At this point, he likely won't be expecting us to retaliate." The boy began to suggest an idea.

"Sneak attack, I like it!" Stan grinned deviously as he rubbed his hands together.

Suddenly, a fiery explosion demolished the sealed door to the hidden entry stairs. Shielding themselves from the blast, when the smoke cleared just enough, the group looked up and saw the Grand Master had found them, and had come alone. Both his blades remained drawn, his wings folded, and his eyes glowing deep red. Before anyone could say anything, with a single swing of his right blade, he incinerated Clone Dipper in an instant. When gasps and shouts subsided, Ford immediately drew his katana sword and motioned for Stan to grab a second one on one of the shelves. Wendy pulled out her hand axe as Mabel, Soos, and the Northwest girl all moved to shield Dipper.

"Leave your grandson, alone, Sherman. Bill has no use for him anymore." Ford addressed their new arrival first.

"Be a man and take us on. Let the others go!" Stan stood steadfast as well. Sherman merely gave a sadistic chuckle before narrowing his eyes to match them.

"You misunderstand. I'm not here for the children or this hefty manservant"

"Hey! Hurtful, evil dude." Soos commented. Paying him no heed, Sherman Pines continued.

"I'm here for you, my dear brothers. This confrontation is four decades in the making, and it's between you and me alone. The rest are free to go, not that they have anywhere left to run."

"We won't leave you guys!" Dipper told both his great uncles.

"Sherman is right, this is between the three of us, alone. Wendy, Soos, look after them for us." Stan ordered.

"Yes, Mr. Pines!" Soos agreed without hesitation.

"Will do" Wendy agreed as well. Once the room was clear, only the three Pines siblings remained, blades drawn and in a standoff. After a moment of tense silence under narrowed eyes, the battle began. Sherman lunged forth, attacking his older brothers without hesitation, eager for revenge.

"I've waited too long for this! The time is now!" He shouted in eagerness.

"We won't go down, easy!" Ford replied.

"We won't let you win!" Stan added.

"You don't have any say in the matter, strangers who bare my last name." Sherman retorted.

The storm of blades, the battle of the brothers, had begun.


	6. Chapter 6: Brothers

Legends of Gravity Falls: Blood Runs Thick

Chapter 6: Brothers

The clash and clanging of metal against metal erupted through the burning forest as the three Pines brothers continued their battle. Stan and Ford both struggled to keep up with the sheer ferocity of their younger brother. Sherman was relentless, refusing to go easy on the two men he hated most in the entire world. The older twins were still baffled at how this came to be, and they both wanted to know why. Any animosity they ever held for each other paled in comparison to this onslaught.

"There is no escape for you, this time. This only ends one way!" Sherman decreed as he continued to take on both his brothers at once, his broadswords constantly in motion against the katana swords of the twins.

"What happened to you, Sherman? Why do you side with Bill over your own family?!" Ford shouted in his growing anger.

"You aren't the little brother we knew! He wasn't anything like this!" Stan echoed the sentiment.

"You both NEVER knew me! And I have NO FAMILY! I cast you out of my life! It was the only way to go on!" His twisted rage, fueled by his dark and demonic powers began to manifest around them.

The fires that consumed the woods intensified, and two black horns began to grow from his forehead as his glowing red eyes morphed to match the inferno manifesting on his swords. His nails extended from his fingers as they morphed into black claws. Twin fangs protruded amongst this top front teeth. His attacks intensified, his overwhelming and unnatural strength and agility combined with his eighteen years of youth compared to the twins wearing them both down.

"We both haven't seen you since before the accident thirty years ago! And you weren't even there! What happened to make you this way?!" Ford bellowed as he and Stan struggled to remain on their feet.

"Tell us, now!" Stan demanded.

"YOU HAPPENED TO ME, MY DEAR, FORMER BROTHERS! YOU DID THIS TO ME!" Sherman roared, his voice taking on a twisted, otherworldly sound.

Bringing both his fiery swords down, the shock of the power behind the assault sent both Stan and Ford flying backwards, both of them landing on their backs upon the ground in the clearing where the Mystery Fair had been held. The trees burned all around them, only the worn totem pole left untouched. Next, however, with a single swing of his right blade, an arc of flame demolished the structure entirely as both of the twins barely dodged the flames in time.

"Bill twisted you into this half-demon! Not us!" Stan fired back, but Ford had a look of shock as he thought back on their little brother's words. With a roar of furious rage, Sherman incinerated the ground beneath, them, the flames licking their clothes as they barely avoided the blast in time, their space to successfully dodge now wearing thin.

"Think back to when you two left when you started your feud! Remember that day? Remember?!" Sherman demanded, barely keeping his intense and still growing fury in check.

"You were still a baby! What was going on with Ford and I didn't affect you at all!" Stan replied, not understanding where this was going.

"How wrong you are, just as you always were, Stan Pines of Stanco Enterprises." Sherman mocked with a dark chuckle before continuing, "When both you and Ford left, I was left to be raised by mom and dad, alone. I had no contact with either of you! You devoted yourselves to your get rich quick schemes and your research! Mom and dad did the best they could, but my childhood was a pathetic, lonely excuse for an existence. When I turned twelve, do you know what my birthday wish was?"

Both twins looked at each other in befuddlement, clearly not knowing the answer.

"I wanted to finally see my brothers! Mom and dad paid my way to visit both of you, and I was so excited to finally see the two of you for the first time that I could remember. But I didn't get the friends I was seeking. Instead of bonding or playing games, you both used me for your own ends! Science lab lackey or criminal accomplice, you both used me and left me high and dry! I rotted in a Columbian prison for 5 years because of you, Stan! And you, Ford, you left me at the mercy of homicidal gnomes for an experiment! I didn't get two brothers! I got two liabilities!"

Stan's eyes widened at the realization as he looked over to Ford, who had a face of remorse, already knowing their little baby brother spoke the truth.

 _Years Prior:_

 _Sitting in a cell in the same Columbian prison Stan had spent time in, young boy Sherman fumed to himself as both of Stan's former cellmates sat at his side._

 _"_ _I'm gonna kill you, Stan. Real, real slowly." He mumbled aloud._

 _"_ _Me gusta este chico [I like this kid]." The inmate on the right commented to his other cellmate._

 _"_ _Si! [Yes]" the other on the left agreed._

 _Later over in Gravity Falls, young boy Sherman found himself tied to the ground as the angry gnomes lorded over their capture. He mused to himself in frustration over his predicament._

 _"_ _Wanted me to observe gnomes in their natural habitat, he said. It'll be an invaluable contribution to the journals, he said."_

 _"_ _You dared to trespass in our domain, human! The gnomes are a powerful race!" Jeff Sr. declared to his prisoner._

 _"_ _Yeah, yeah, sure. Meanwhile I bet the image of you guys is gonna be used as a mascot for a travel agency, someday" Sherman retorted with an unfazed tone._

 _Years later, a young man Sherman sat on his knees in a dark room in a ritual circle illuminated with candles. He drank from a golden chalice, the blood of a one-eyed demon. Said demon cackled as he spoke from out of site._

 _"_ _The power of my kind, the power of nightmares, will soon be yours to control and wield, my disciple. Now tell me, how do you feel?"_

 _"_ _Glorious… I feel the symbiosis… the power is mine at last!" Sherman felt a surge of euphoria as demonic energy took hold inside of him._

 _"_ _When the unmaking of the world begins, you will stand at my side." Bill decreed._

 _"_ _By your will, my lord" Sherman opened his eyes, revealing them to be glowing deep red, for the first time. His grin echoed his sinister thoughts._

So much time had passed. There really was no chance of turning back now. As Stan and Ford both got back to their feet, Sherman resumed his attack.

"You didn't leave each other behind! You left me behind! And by the power granted to me by my lord, you will pay for it in blood! SUFFER AND FALL INTO THE DIRT!"


	7. Chapter 7: Futility

Legends of Gravity Falls: Blood Runs Thick

Chapter 7: Futility

As the battle between the Pines brothers continued, Dipper, Mabel, Wendy, Soos, McGucket, and Pacifica continued trying to seek cover from the flames that were consuming the forest around them. It was a maze of blazing light and trees burning to a crisp everywhere they turned. Smoke filled the sky above them, which continued to hold the massive gateway into the Nightmare Realm. Strangely even though it had been open for well over a full hour, no demons and monsters had come through as expected. It was another mystery for another time, for Soos got the attention of the others as he called out.

"Dudes, up in the sky, look!"

Upon doing so, the group could barely make out the roar of jet engines and the lights of aircraft as they zoomed overhead. Air Force fighter jets were arriving on the scene, F-16's to be exact. They were a full squadron of five jets. The lead pilot of the squadron hailed his teammates on their communicators.

"This is worse than anything I was expecting. All units, form up."

"Copy that, sir." Was the universal reply from the other pilots.

Bill was still in the sky, and summoned down more fireballs through the portal upon noticing the craft approaching the town.

"Nice try, useless fleshlings!" The demon cackled as he watched.

"What the hell is that thing? Evasive maneuvers! Fire when you're locked on target!" The squadron leader ordered. The F-16's angled their wings as they attempted to avoid the danger, but nonetheless two of the squadron were quickly reduced to flaming wrecks plummeting to the ground. With Bill in sight of their targeting arrays, the remaining three jets launched almost all of their missiles.

Grinning menacing, Bill merely waved his right hand to cast out an arc of blue flame, incinerating the missiles. The pilots had mere seconds to react.

"Pull up! Throttle full high!" The squadron leader ordered. Only his jet and a single member of his team made it in time, the third craft caught in the blaze and quickly exploding into shrapnel. "Unleash hell! Fire everything!"

The two remaining F-16's launched their remaining missiles and unloaded their nozzle machine guns directly at Bill, who's twisted smile widened even as he took the hits directly and full on, not even flinching. The jets rocketed past him as he was engulfed in a massive sphere of smoke and fire.

"We have good hits. That takes care of that bastard!"

"Copy that, sir" the other remaining pilot, a woman, replied.

However, the smoke behind them cleared to reveal that Bill was unscathed, and laughing in his demented glee, shot a beam of blue fire again from his right hand, which quickly hit the woman's jet, causing the engines to explode and send the craft falling to the ground.

"NOOO! How is this even possible?! What is he?!" The squadron leader panicked. In the town below, a group of Disciples under the direction of a Champion had prepped a surface-to-air personal rocket launcher, which fired a single shot directly at the lone F-16. It was a direct hit, leaving none of the squadron remaining within mere moments.

Finally having made their way out of the burning forest, the group had watched the carnage before their very eyes, looks of disbelief and horror on each of them. Mabel spoke up first with tears in her eyes.

"This… this can't be happening…" Dipper wrapped his arms around his twin in a forlorn attempt to console her.

Out on the back roads outside of the town, entire contigents of cultists, Acolytes, Disciples, Champions, and even a handful holding the rank of Master were all fighting off the arrival of the Oregon National Guard. Having used explosives to disable their transport trucks, the zealot followers of Bill forced the fighting to spread out over the ground, with the raging inferno reducing the woods to cinders around them. The battle was horrendous, but the arrival of the Grand Harvester changed things for even worse. Using the twisted and dark power of his scythe, he cleaved through the Guardsmen not felled by the other cultists one by one, forcing them into an incredbibly painful and irreversible transformation into more of the mindless zombies bent to his will. They immediately attacked their former comrades upon regaining the ability to stand.

"Yes! Scream! Break into submission at my feet! Your will is mine! Hahahahahaha!" The deranged human decreed in sadistic delight.

In the street just outside the Town Hall, the celebratory cultists gathered around as they set the town flag, which read "City of Gravity Falls" above the town emblem, ablaze, having replaced it with the their own flag of the Midnight Hammer. They chanted in unison as they dropped the burning flag to the ground.

"The Hammer Rises, the Hammer falls! The unbelievers will lose it all!" The celebration continued as the fighting outside the town died down, the Midnight Hammer once more victorious. The Grand Harvester grinned from behind the crowd as he addressed them, causing them to turn to face him.

"Soon, we begin our march from this town, and to upon the world itself! Nothing shall stop us while the Great One himself leads us!" The cultists cheered even louder at his words. "Prepare to burn this wretched town to the ground, with the unbelievers locked inside…"

At these orders, Disciples wearing protective masks and carrying backpack flamethrower torch gear emerged from one of the occupied buildings, prepared to end Gravity Falls for good.


	8. Chapter 8: Ash to Ash, Dust to Dust

Legends of Gravity Falls: Blood Runs Thick

Chapter 8: Ash to Ash and Dust to Dust

As the sky beneath the portal turned black with thick, billowing smoke, the cultists of the Midnight Hammer were poised to finish their work of leveling Gravity Falls into ash and dust with its residents, as Bill was growing tired of his demented playtime in this wooded community. As the next step of the Armageddon was about to be taken, Dipper, Mabel, Wendy, Soos, McGucket, and Pacifica were at the end of their rope. However, their despair became temporarily halted by the arrival of their respected new ally. The Vampire Lord of Starnhorst Manor had returned to their side, with the last of his animated suits of knight armor in tow.

"Walter!" Mabel cheered up, relieved the undead recluse who had saved their lives was still okay.

"We thought you were, like, toast, perhaps literally given all this fire, dude." Soos exclaimed with near equal fervor as his young friend. Indeed, Walter and the animated armor were battered, bruised, and burned in some spots, but nothing serious. The vampire's shadow form had spared him certain death at Bill's hands. He spoke up after catching his breath.

"I could not allow myself to die. I muzt keep fighting to zhe end, as you should my ezteemed mortal friendz."

"How can we keep fighting? We all barely made it this far without dying, and we are still no closer to stopping Bill or this cult, led by the demented grandfather of Mabel and I no less." Dipper had lost what remained of his confidence. The odds against them were simply too great.

"None of vou possez zhe power to vace a being like Bill, but I can do what I can. As long as I maintain my shadow form vhile fighting him, I cannot die." Walter reasoned.

"But how long can you keep it up? You look like you're in worse shape than the rest of us, already." Wendy interjected as she stood with Soos protectively over the younger kids.

"I may not zurvive, but I promise, if it is zhe last thing I do, I vill bring Bill Cipher down vith me."

"No! You don't have to sacrifice yourself!" Mabel was near tears. She had seen enough destruction and death already.

"There has'ta be a better way, right?" McGucket wondered aloud, uncertain himself.

"There is, isn't there?" Dipper asked as well.

"I have lived my entire life, century after century, doing vhat I believe iz best vor zhe vorld. If giving that life avay iz vhat must be done to stop this enemy of all life, zhen zhat iz zhe cost I must accept. My guards and I vill pervorm zhis final attack, all of vou focus on freeing the townspeople."

The animated knight armor suits handed everyone accept Wendy a medieval sword to use. The teen lumberjack girl opted to use her trusty hand axe, instead.

"Vhatever happenz, know zhat I am proud to share zhis vorld with humans like you. Alvays have been, alvays vill be."

"Thank you, friend." The Pines boy replied, echoing the sentiment of the others who all smiled and nodded.

"Dipper… wait…" Pacifica started. Said boy turned to face her.

"Yes, Pacifica? What do- mmpffh!" The blonde Northwest girl got his lips in a quick kiss. He was dazed as she pulled away.

"You're my hero." She smiled at him. Dipper returned the gesture after a moment, but both preteens quickly remembered where their focus needed to be, not that the sudden turn of events hadn't caught the attention of everyone else present. Even one of the animated knight suits was leaning on his sword with his elbows bent on the cross guards, his hands supporting his helmet head as he observed the two youngsters as if he were saying "Aww!". Walter had a heartfelt smile

Once the group regained their focus, they made their move, Walter drawing his sword and leading the charge. The Pines twins and their ground went around to a back alley near Main Street, while Walter and the guards drew the attention of Bill and the cultists by attacking them on the street head on.

"Attack them! Destroy the unbelievers!" The Grand Harvester ordered. The battle was joined. With his inhuman strength, speed, and endurance, Walter remained a deadly opponent for the mortal human cultists in melee combat. He sent them down into the ground or flying into buildings and through windows, while his guards, nigh invincible because of their sate, held their own as well. Not even the Disciples armed with torch gear were able to make much headway against the surprise attack. The Grand Harvester summoned zombies to reinforce the cultists, but ever the quick thinker, Walter broke the gas lines on multiple torch packs with his sword before hurling the unfortunate wielders of the packs into the zombies, the ensuing explosions engulfing the mindless mass of killing machines. Bill looked down at the fighting from his vantage point in the sky above with a delighted grin.

"And just when I thought this town was out of entertainment for me. You've come to delight me as you die, vampire." Said demon mocked.

"Vou seek to force me down into the grave, Bill? Fine, zhen I drag you down vith me!"

Assuming his shadow form once more, Walter lunged at bill. The morphed vampire and the interdimensional demon fired blasts of dark purple shadow and intense blue fire, respectively, at one another as they met for a final battle in the sky over Gravity Falls itself. The battle between the cultists and the guards continued to rage below them. Bill cast twin arcs of blue flame out, only for Walter to block them with his sword, now engulfed in dark black shadow. Every strike of the blade, Bill dodged or blocked with his blazing hands. He summoned his cane to him, transforming the shaft beneath the handle into the blade of a sword for his own use. Steel clashed against steel, and both the dark powers of shadow and fire blasted against one another. The two appeared evenly matched.

Using their weaponry, the Pines twins and their group began breaking open windows and back doors to the buildings, enabling the trapped townspeople inside to finally escape. The first few buildings included familiar faces from over their summer, not too surprised at this point what the Mystery gang could accomplish. Out of the corner of her eye, Mabel saw the battle between the older Pines had spilled out into the town proper, just on the next street over, in fact. She quickly rushed to the defense of her grunkles while Dipper and the rest of the group were focused on their task of liberating the prisoners.

Battered, bloodied, burned, and exhausted, both Stan and Ford could not hold out against the furious onslaught of Sherman any longer. Fallen backwards onto the street below them, the older Pines looked up as the Grand Master stood over them, prepared to deliver the final blow.

"And now, my dear former brothers, you will die…"

Swinging both his inferno-engulfed swords at once, the half-demon sent a surge of fire directly at the brothers, but before any of them could realize what was happening, Mabel rushed in and took the intensive blaze in their place.


	9. Chapter 9: The Light within the Dark

Legends of Gravity Falls: Blood Runs Thick

Chapter 9: The Light within the Dark

"NOOOOO!" Mabel shrieked as she moved to shield her grunkles.

It was too late for anything to be done. The full force of the attack, twisted and raging fire of the Nightmare Realm, had hit Mabel dead center. Both Stan and Ford shouted out in pure shock and disbelief, and Sherman felt his own eyes widen as he saw his one and only granddaughter blown away by the final strike he intended for his foes. Dipper and the others had turned the corner to witness the spectacle, far too late to do anything about it themselves. Once he regained his senses, the Pines boy cried out in fury as he charged at Sherman, only to feel a hand grab his ankle and nearly cause him to topple over. Looking over his shoulder, he stared into the equally anguished eyes of Stan.

"Don't be a fool, kid. Your sister needs you!"

As said older man got up and Dipper turned to see where his sister had landed, he saw that Ford and the others, save Sherman, were already at her side, Soos cradling the young girl as he lay on his knees. To say her wounds were terrible would have been an understatement. No trace of her bright sweater over her front side remained, just charred, black flesh and crisp innards. The blast had completely incinerated her chest and abdomen. Wendy checked her pulse, only to reveal the terrible truth as tears streamed down her face.

"She's… gone… she's dead…"

"NO! That's not true! It can't be!" Dipper ran to Mabel's side immediately. Pulling her limp body into his own arms, he could see close up her skin was already beginning to turn pale. He began crying, openly and freely weeping. Everyone joined in, holding onto each other and Mabel. Stan and Ford were the only ones not opening weeping, but tears stained their faces nonetheless. This was truly the end. A Shooting Star had fallen.

Not far away up in the sky over the town, Walter continued the final battle with Bill, feeling his strength and endurance beginning to wane. He had entered his powerful shadow form twice within a short period, and trying to maintain it for this long as causing a considerable strain on his life force. Looking up during a brief pause in their fighting, Bill chuckled to himself. Following the eyes of his opponent, Walter saw that all around inside the massive portal that covered the skies beyond the smoke from the fires many, many glowing red eyes were amassing. More sinister and twisted beings from the Nightmare Realm, all holding the Earth in their reach. Soon dozens of eyes doubled and tripled, revealing a tremendous army forming on the other side.

"At long last, the Grand Army of Eternal Nightmares has finally arrived! The single most destructive fighting force in the Multiverse is poised to take this pitiful world! You can't defeat me and I am just a single being from my dimension. Imagine legion after legion of my kind, all acting as one! They answer to me! There is no reversing my work now, vampire! The end is here! You are all dead! WASTE AWAY INTO NOTHINGNESS! HAHAHA! HAHAHAHAHA!"

Walter could only watch as he felt his power leave him, even as Bill continued his maniacal laughter.

Back down on the ground, the sound of approaching footsteps caused the group to look up from the source of their pain and sorrow to see Sherman walking straight to them. Their faces hardened at the mere sight of him after what he had done, no matter if it was unintended. As he forced his way to Mabel, both Wendy and Dipper raised their weapons to strike, but the attention of the Grand Master was upon the face of the dead girl, his own granddaughter. For the first time in a long while, the inferno in his eyes subsided as he laid them upon Mabel. His human eyes, the color of deep blue around his irises, showed themselves, as he too observed the horror below in sorrow. His menacing wings, fangs, horns, and claws all retracted as he knelt to a single knee before her, sheathing both his blades, now rid of their own fires, as he did so. Slowly, hesitantly reaching up with his right hand, he brushes her forehead gently, tucking stay hairs behind her ear.

"I never wanted it to come to this… I wanted revenge on Stan and Ford… but never any harm to come to you kids. I… know this means nothing now… but I'm sorry… so, so sorry…" For the first time in many decades, Sherman felt tears reach the corner of his eyes. He had forgotten what it felt like to care for another.

"You're damn right it means nothing! My sister is dead because of YOU!" Dipper fired at the remorseful half-demon, who made no attempt to interrupt him. The boy had to restrain himself from attacking his grandfather. The mere sight of him by itself made his blood boil.

"I… I think I can fix this…" Sherman started. The eyes of the others widened.

"What are you saying, Sherman? You think you can possibly do something to save Mabel? She's dead!" Ford was confused and angry along with his own grief.

"There is a powerful technique I learned from studying the magic of the Nightmare Realm. It is a healing power used to heal injuries and even bring the dead back to life. But it is not without cost. Life cannot be obtained unless it is taken, first." The Grand Master explained.

"Haven't you taken enough life from us today?!" Pacifica shouted as she wept.

"I will use my own life force to restore Mabel. I can place the full span of her lifetime back into her by subtracting the same amount of years from my own. It will shorten what remains of the life I live, but she deserves my sacrifice after what just happened. I suggest you louts stand back, lest you get caught in the energy transfer."

Uneasy, but willing to take a chance, the others stood and stepped back, allowing Sherman to hold Mabel alone. Placing both his hands into her charred flesh, he began to recite an ancient chant.

"Take what to Give, Give what to Take, Let this vessel give the essence to Live. Rebuild what was Destroyed, Return what was Lost, So that full restoration may be Enjoyed. Take what to Give, Give what to Take, Let this vessel give the essence to Live."

Everyone looked on with wide eyes and some even gasped as both hands of the Grand Master glowed dark purple, as did the charred and crisp injuries on Mabel. Soon, the light intensified and enshrouded both of them, forcing the others to avert and block their eyes. When the light subsided, to their complete amazement, Mabel looked completely back to normal. Not only was her ghastly, blown-open body fully healed, her sweater was restored as well. It was as if nothing had happened, and she was taking a nap.

The Grand Master held her gently in his arms. Dipper quickly returned to her side and placed his head next to hears, relieved to hear her soft breathing. It was done. Mabel was back amongst the living. The rest of the group quickly joined them, equally amazed at the miracle. The remaining chapters of the Apocalypse remained imminent, but a Shooting Star will shine once more.

Soon to be concluded…


	10. Chapter 10: The Chains of the Master

Legends of Gravity Falls: Blood Runs Thick

Chapter 10: The Chains of the Master

Mabel slowly opened her eyes, groaning slightly at the glare of the lights. Her brief coma was over. She was surprised to see everyone around her, but quickly noticed someone else had to be holding her, slowly tilting her head, she saw it was Sherman, the man she had been trying to stop before everything went dark. Her eyes went wide at this realization, but she had little time to voice her confusion, as she quickly saw for herself how much the group had been worried over her while she was out of it.

"Mabel! Thank goodness you're alive!" Dipper was ecstatic as he hugged his sister, who returned the gesture slowly but gently.

"Thanks, bro-bro, but how did I… wait… alive? What happened?"

"It's probably best you don't remember, sweetie, but you took a hit for Ford and me." Stan explained softly.

"That was very brave but completely unnecessary Mabel. There is no honor in suicide, and your life means more than Stan and myself." Ford lamented over the still-fresh ordeal.

"I remember stepping in as Grandpa Sherman attacked you guys, but… I know it was too risky but I had to! I wasn't going to lose you both!" Mabel replied in full honesty.

"You… died, Mabel…" Ford revealed as gently as he could. Said girl's expression dropped into disbelief at the news. Her genius relative quickly continued, "You would have been lost to us forever, had Sherman not saved you."

Mabel looked back up to her grandfather and softly asked, "You saved me? You… gave me back my life?" The Grand Master replied after a brief moment.

"Yes… I did. I corrected my mistake. You shouldn't exert yourself too much, yet. It will take a few hours for the full effects of the energy transfer to settle inside you."

"Transfer?" Mabel asked.

"Yes, I had to sacrifice a portion of my lifespan to restore you, the price I had to pay." Sherman was surprised as she moved to hug him, and he softly returned the gesture after another moment.

"Thank you"

Regret and uncertainty filled the mind of the Grand Master. His purpose amongst the ranks of his lord remained unfulfilled. He was sworn to serve a greater purpose than any cause of mere humans. He willingly drank the blood of demons to obtain their power and use it, removing himself from the human world and its emotional entanglements, the hardship and heartache. And yet, this, the closeness of family, he remembered that this was all that he ever wanted. The most glorious euphoria of dark energy surging through his veins could not compare to the warmth in his heart, a feeling he had forgotten long, long ago.

"My need for vengeance… my desire for power… both will never outweigh the lives of you, my two wonderful grandkids…" Sherman declared in his self-realization as tears ran down his face has he tightened his hold on Mabel. The others realized that this was the true Sherman. Finally after so many years, he was uncovered from the clutches of the fallen man he had become, the Grand Master. This sudden and drastic turn of events would have been even better were it not for the fact the end of the world was still in progress all around them.

Walter had to set himself down upon the roof of a building not far from the group, his energy depleted along with his shadow form. As he returned to his normal state, he looked up in exhaustion as Bill, still at full power, hovered in the sky over the town, and the mass of eyes in the portal above still there. Countless demons ready to invade at any moment. Back on Main Street, the fighting had ended, the animated suits of knight armor having been dismantled as cultist and zombie reinforcements arrived. The Grand Harvester eagerly looked up at the portal with those around him. The Midnight Hammer was about to fulfill its purpose at last. The freed townspeople looked up as well. They had nowhere to go with the town occupied, the roads blocked, and the forest in flames for miles around. Bill cackled in his trademark maniacal laughter before shouting for all to hear.

"Take a good, long look, mortal weaklings! I am the bell that tolls your doom! My cult has ruined everything you hold dear! The infinite army behind me is mine to command! YOU'RE FINISHED! OBEY ME, MY SERVANTS! CRUSH THE HUMAN FOOLS AND DELIEVER THIS WORLD TO THE FLAMES OF NIGHTMARES!" As Bill finished his decree, one final pair of glowing red eyes, much larger than those around them, manifested at the dead center of the massive portal. The voice called out to Bill, and it was sinister as well as blood-chilling as it echoed through the ears of everyone below.

"You are wrong, Cipher. This is MY army. It always has been, and you are MINE, as you always will be. The exact same as all in MY realm!"

Bill's expression dropped immediately as he instantly recognized the voice, looking over his shoulder hesitantly. True, genuine fear radiated from him, the first time any human had seen Bill in a moment of terror.

"Lord of Nightmares, your great, great excellency… I… I can explain! I was acting as you ordered! I did all this for you! I have delivered this world to you in your name! I am yours to command!"

"No… Cipher… you are mine to PUNISH! You dared to stray from the path I placed you on, you sought to steal this realm for yourself right from under me, and now you will pay the price… in blood…" Before Bill could react, four heavy iron chains shot down from the portal above, each of the clasps holding twin spikes inside. They quickly locked around the terrified demon's wrists and ankles, leaving him bound and severing his connection to his power. Bill shouted in pain as blood leaked from the shackles.

"Please! My lord, I didn't… I wasn't… have mercy! I beg of you!" Bill panicked as he realized the full fury of his master.

"There is no mercy… THERE IS ONLY MY WILL! YOUR DEFIANCE ENDS, NOW!" The four chains were hauled back through the portal as quickly as they were fired down, pulling Bill back to his own dimension. The Lord of Nightmares continued his own decree as Bill struggled in complete and hopeless vain, "YOU WILL NOW RETURN TO ME, AND YOU WILL SUFFER AN UNBELIEVABLE AGONY FOR THE NEXT 10 MILLION YEARS, AS A START! YOUR OWN UNRELENTING NIGHTMARE BEGINS NOW, MY WAYWARD SERVANT!"

"No! It cannot end this way! NOOOOOOOO!" Bill's screams were for naught, for as he was pulled through the portal his human form was vaporized, revealing his horrified, normal form as he faded from sight. The massive pair of eyes, along with the countless small ones all faded as well, and the portal was sealed as they departed, restoring the normal night sky above, dawn now approaching on the horizon. The end was here at last, but not one of Bill's design.

Hours passed as night became day. The Pines family and their friends made their way back to the Mystery Shack with Sherman alongside them. Eventually, it became safe enough for Wendy and Soos to return to their families back in the town, and McGucket to his raccoon wife. Walter gave everyone a most respectful farewell for the time being and returned to Starnhorst Manor, accompanied by the battered suits of knight armor, which had reassembled themselves and found their way to their master but needed repair. The blonde Northwest girl had requested to stay with the Pines for a little while, knowing full well the Northwest Manor would be swamped with investigators once her father's connection to the cult became known. The intervention of Federal and State authorities quickly put out the remaining fires and finished liberating the town. Soon, Gravity Falls was completely under the jurisdiction of the Federal government as the occupation came to a close. However, by the time the authorities arrived the majority of the Midnight Hammer chose to retreat rather than make a last stand.

Without the aid of their overlord and his planned invasion, the cultists realized the battle was lost. With the Grand Master missing in action, the Grand Harvester took over leadership as he directed their escape into the mountains. The Prime Councilman, Preston Northwest, chose to remain behind with the handful of cultists who decided to surrender and turn themselves in. The road to recovery would be long, but scars heal even if their mark remains. After hiding Sherman at the Mystery Shack for a few days, the man told his family it was time for him to depart. Needless to say, the reaction was mixed and heartfelt.

"We'll miss you." Mabel said softly.

"Yeah, I think we will." Dipper admitted.

"I no longer have a place in the world of humans. I gave up my humanity for powers beyond the reach of mortal hands, but I finally understand just how much more I sacrificed to obtain them." Sherman lamented. He returned the hug Mabel gave him, and finally Dipper joined in as well. "I will have to live whatever is left of my life with the mistakes I made, not everything can be made right." He finished.

"Ford and I made our own mistakes with you, Sherman. You weren't wrong about that." Stan said.

"We would welcome any chance to make things right with you, no matter what you think of us." Ford added.

"I… thank you… Stan and Ford. I'm not sure what type of future we may or may not have, but I will gladly keep your offer close. Perhaps… when things settle down, we can try making up for lost time. Dipper and Mabel… thank you for opening my eyes. I will never forget what you did for me"

Both older Pines twins joined their little brother and younger relatives in the group hug. The Pines family was whole again, for the first time in decades. Sherman departed on his own, but not without something had hadn't carried with him for a very long time, hopeful happiness at the promise of a better tomorrow.

Dipper returned to the aforementioned Northwest girl in the living room, who greeted him with her own hug. Relief and joy were her emotions as well, amplified as Dipper hugged her back. The dreaded Nightmare was over. Indeed, the dark had given way to light.

The End


End file.
